Modifier Keys On Personal Computers
The most common are:
- ⇧ Shift
- Ctrl (Control)
- Alt (Alternate) - also labelled "Opt" on Apple keyboards
- AltGr (Alternate Graphic)
- ◆ - Meta key, found on MIT, Symbolics, and Sun Microsystems keyboards
- (Windows logo) – found on Windows keyboards
- ⌘ Cmd – Command key, found on Apple Macintosh keyboards. On older keyboards marked with the Apple logo.
- Fn (Function) – present on small-layout keyboard, usually on notebooks.
The (Sun) Meta key, Windows key, (Apple) Cmd key, and the analogous "Amiga key" on Amiga computers, are usually handled equivalently. Under the GNU/Linux operating system, desktop environments such as KDE and GNOME call this key, neutrally, Super. (This is a bit confusing, since the original space cadet keyboard and the X Window System recognize a "Meta" modifier distinct from "Super".)
The Sinclair ZX Spectrum has a Symbol Shift key in addition to Caps Shift. This was used to access additional punctuation and keywords.
Likewise, the Commodore 64 and other Commodore computers had the Commodore key at the bottom left of the keyboard.
Compact keyboards, such as those used in laptops, often have a Fn key to save space by combining two functions that are normally on separate keys. On laptops, pressing Fn plus one of the function keys, e.g., F2, often control hardware functions.
The MIT space-cadet keyboard had additional Top, Front, Super and Hyper modifier keys. Combined with standard modifiers, it could enter as many as 8,000 different characters.
Read more about this topic: Modifier Key
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